EA Group Seminar Ajaccio Corsica 2017

European Alliance Group adopts Aiacciu declaration on 'EU policies for island, mountain and rural areas'

On the invitation of the Marie Antoinette Maupertuis, member of the executive Council of Corsica and in the presence of its President, Gilles Simeoni, the European Alliance Group of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its extraordinary meeting in Aiacciu (Corsica) and adopted a declaration on 'EU policies for island, mountain and rural areas'

The European Alliance Group call for EU policies and funding instruments to recognise the specific needs of island regions such as Corsica and that insularity clauses are inserted in relevant EU programmes after 2020, notably in initiatives to improve accessibility, transport connections, renewable energy production and innovation".

Marie Antoinette Maupertuis, who is also the CoR rapporteur on the opinion "Entrepreneurship in islands" highlighted the difficulty of islands entrepreneurs to compete with their peers from the main land as they face higher costs that are eventually passed on the consumer. Due to remoteness, lack of economy of scale and higher costs for energy, transport and services make it difficult for entrepreneurs to be competitive, despite their outstanding creativity and resilience. Citizens across the EU should have access to the same opportunities regardless where they live and full integration of islands' citizens in the European single market must be ensured

Stanislaw Szwabski, President of the European Alliance Group added: "the EA Group will continue advocating for a balanced and harmonious development across all EU regions and for adequate support to islands and peripheral regions He added that the European Alliance group would pursue a change, via the EU institutions, in future policies and funding to be more reflective of Island, mountain and rural areas".

Text of the Aiacciu Declaration 'EU policies for island, mountain and rural areas"ENFR